UAE denies air defence capabilities depleted following Iranian attack

Moscow (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday dismissed Bloomberg’s report regarding the country’s air defence capabilities being depleted due to repelling Iranian attacks.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs categorically rejects the false and misleading claims published by Bloomberg regarding the advanced air defence capabilities of the United Arab Emirates,” the ministry stated.

Sources told Bloomberg that the UAE had requested its allies to provide medium-range missiles for its air defence systems, whilst Qatar was reported to have sought assistance to counter drone attacks.

The report also noted that Qatar’s Patriot missile supplies would last for four days at current usage levels.

“The UAE possesses a diverse, integrated, and multilayered air defence system capable of countering the full spectrum of aerial threats with high efficiency. These long-range, medium-range, and short-range systems provide comprehensive protection for the nation’s airspace,” the statement added.

The ministry also stated that the UAE maintains significant strategic ammunition reserves, thereby ensuring “sustained interception and response capability over an extended period, whilst maintaining full operational readiness to protect national security and sovereignty.”

On Saturday (28 February), the United States and Israel launched a joint attack against multiple targets in Iran, including Tehran, resulting in damage and civilian casualties. Iran subsequently retaliated with attacks against Israeli territory and US military bases across various parts of the Middle East.